find the sun
by Oparu
Summary: fluffy happy beginnings for Regina, Maleficent, Emma and Killian. (Dragon Queen and Captain Swan, with plenty of friendship between them). Regina and Maleficent get married and have a child while Emma and Killian work on adopting one. Lots of supporting each other and Emma learns to knit to make a hat for the dragon baby.
1. jitters - the wedding

Three nervous texts from Lily, and she got into the Bug. Lily has her hands full helping Granny and half of the Dwarves with the food and the drinks for the reception. She wouldn't have imagined Regina would want this town-wide celebration, but the town has been desperate for a party and Regina's the Mayor, she can hardly get married without a little fanfare. When Snow got involved, it went from zero to "don't you think the cake needs five tiers" basically overnight and now it's the wedding Emma suspects Snow wanted her to have.

She feels for Maleficent getting swept up in all of this because Emma's knows how much her stomach would twist if her wedding reception was literally taking up the entire park on the edge of town. Emma heads up the stairs at the hotel with a little wave at the receptionist and knocks on the door. "Hey. You're not answering your phone and Lily's a little nervous."

She glances down, muttering to the floor and her boots. "Maybe a lot nervous."

The door swings inward, and Maleficent stands before her, hair down around her shoulders, still dressed in her pyjamas and her robe. Without makeup she is most definitely not Maleficent the dragon: terrifying sorceress of the old world. She looks younger, softer, nothing about her is at all intimidating except perhaps how blue her eyes are.

Emma thought she was going to have to remind her of the time, or maybe calm down dragon diva moment, but this is different.

Maleficent looks helplessly at the bed, where her dress lies like a museum piece, red waves of fabric cascading onto the floor, rich embroidery and delicate jewels catch the light and make it look more like art than something someone could actually wear. She can't help thinking of Regina's castle and the ball she attended as Princess Leia. This is a thing of that world: the dress of a fairy tale villain.

"Oh, I must have buried that thing."

"Yeah, phones take some getting used to." Emma surveys the room, staring at the dress because those can't really be stitches, no one can make stitches that small.

Mal flutters her hands, then slips them into the pockets of her robe. "Regina said to do my hair and makeup first and I started my hair but-"

The vanity is empty. Her hair would certainly require pins and curlers and products- No, Maleficent would use magic. Emma's not sure if she can help with that. None of the spellbooks she's gotten from Regina cover magic hairstyling and she's certainly never tried doing anything with her own.

"It's kind of intimidating isn't it? Everyone looking at you." That's a guess. They're not really friends, more thrown together company, because Maleficent's sort of becoming Henry's third mom and Lily and Emma still click, so she feels like she knows Maleficent a little. She's quiet when they're all together but she seems nice. Regina adores her in a sappy, full-hearted way that just makes Emma want to grin at them both.

Mal sinks into the chair, hands on her knees. She's pale, somehow smaller without her suits and hats and scarves. (Where does she get her clothes? They're not at the one shop in town Emma has access to). She's so human-looking that it sinks in. This is not a diva moment. Nor, 'I am the mistress of all evil...hear me and dismay. That's the animated version. This version looks helplessly at Emma and shuts her eyes. "I don't care what they think."

Emma kneels down in front of her, reaching for her hands on instinct. "Okay. Good. What they think doesn't matter."

"Regina-" Maleficent leaves that unfinished and she blinks too quickly.

Emma only has to think about tissues before they're on the floor next to her. She's getting much better at that. She pulls one and hands it over, finishing Maleficent's thought. "Is probably equally a wreck and driving Henry and my mom crazy."

That earns a smile. "Perhaps."

"I know how much this means to her," Emma says, squeezing Maleficent''s hands. They're so warm compared to hers. That shouldn't surprise her, but she smirks a little at herself. Dragon. Right. While she dries her eyes, Emma studies her hair. It's not that different from Emma's own, fine and soft. Should curl well, even in the humidity of Storybrooke. "What do you want to do with your hair?" That seems easy enough. Walk her through that, give her something to focus on, move on to the hard parts like makeup and putting on the dress.

"It won't do anything." Maleficent waves her hand to demonstrate and the ends beginning to curl into fat, soft curls that tighten and pull upward into an updo before something snaps and they fall, slipping free from the magic that holds them to fall fat. The little fizzling noise is all too familiar.

"That's not your hair."

"No." Their eyes meet and Maleficent doesn't try to deny it. "My magic is rather unreliable at the moment."

"It's emotion, and you're nervous so it's fucked."

Maleficent presses her lips together and smiles, eyes widening. "Yes, that might be an apt description."

Emma reaches for her hair, lifting it with her fingers when Maleficent doesn't pull back. They have fairly similar hair, soft and smooth. She can do something with it, definitely. "I can do your hair without magic, but we'll have to go to my house. You don't have anything here."

Lifting a hand as if already ready to poof them away, Maleficent nods. "That's much easier than fussing with my hair."

"You're not going to send us into the middle of the cake?" She doesn't really distrust, but it's worth asking.

"No, translocation is one of the easier spells. No emotion involved." She takes Emma's hand, presumably to get the 'address' of Emma's house right, and in a moment they're there, in Emma's bedroom exactly where she needed Maleficent to be. Even the dress came, and Maleficent's clothes, which now sit on the bed she shares with Killian. Luckily she made it this morning so the dress lies on top of the covers, not cascading over the sheets.

Emma can't stop herself from blushing a little. Maleficent's in her bedroom, just standing there in her robe and pyjamas.

"Sorry, I don't usually."

"You thought we should go here."

"Yeah, I did. I wanted my hair stuff." She fixates on that, reaching for Maleficent's hand before it occurs to her that she's taken the dragon's hand, and sets her down in front of the mirror. "Which is here, my hair stuff is here."

Maleficent's too-bright eyes follow Emma in the mirror then she notices the products, the brushes, the pins and all the stuff Emma's collected since she got here. Curls take some work without magic but Maleficent's hair holds them. She could do a braid, because she's best at those.

"Okay, so, do you want me to try and do something specific?"

Maleficent's eyes flick up to her in the mirror. "At this point? You can do whatever you want. Regina said I'm not allowed to wear my horns."

Emma stares long enough that Maleficent smiles. It's weak and soft, tentative, but she's trying.

"I think she was joking."

Toying with Maleficent's hair, Emma gathers it up, trying to get the weight of it. "I can braid it, that'll look nice, especially with your dress. We'll have to do it the old fashioned-" she pauses and smirks, "Well, maybe it's the new way, I suppose magic came before bobby pins and hairspray."

"Hopefully your methods are more reliable." Maleficent flexes her fingers, and stares down. "Magic is emotion, and it can do wonderful things."

"Or turn your hands into sparklers without doing anything useful." Emma starts braiding, running hair over hair in as elegant a french braid as she can manage. If she does it at an angle, it'll look really nice. "I can do this to myself sometimes, but it's a lot easier when it's not your head."

Looking up from her hands, Maleficent watches Emma's fingers move through her hair. "I am so accustomed to magic that I don't even think about seeing it. My hair responds to my will." She shuts her eyes, and this smile has the quality Lily's always talking about. How her mom is both young and incredibly old. "Usually my will is more decisive."

"It's okay!" Emma pins up a free stray wisps of hair and tries to figure out how to tuck it in nicely before she curls the ends. "You're getting married, you're supposed to be a wreck. I was."

"Your wedding had other reasons for concern."

Chuckling, Emma nods. Of course, she couldn't even get married without chaos. "Well, yeah, Killian and I can't seem to catch a break, but even without the endless crises of Storybrooke, getting married is a big commitment. It's exciting and terrifying and wonderful, of course your magic's a little off." She plugs in the curling iron and returns to Maleficent's quizzical look.

"It's a curling iron, it uses heat to curl your hair. Less fun than magic, but it gets the job done."

"Which magic is failing to do." Maleficent turns, trying to see the back of her head.

"Oh, I have a mirror, hang on." Emma leaves her and ducks into the bathroom, grabbing the little hand mirror.

"Emma?" That voice is Killian, on his way upstairs. "Emma are you up here?"

"I'm here."

"Oh?"

"I'm sorry, I-"

She ducks back into the bedroom and meets Killian's gaze. "Uh, I'm helping Maleficent with her hair."

"All right." He touches his hair behind his ear. "Right. How's that going?"

"Perhaps you can tell me, I can't see it." Maleficent looks up at him from her chair and Emma remembers the mirror.

"Oh!" Emma hands the mirror over. "Sorry. Here, I think this works. My mom will have some little flowers we can put in there, and then I'll curl this part."

Killian leans in and kisses Emma's cheek, quick and gentle. "I can leave you to it then."

She follows him into the hall, catching his hand. "Would you make us some tea?"

"Of course." He shifts his eyes towards the bedroom and lowers his voices. "Everything all right?"

"Yeah, yeah, no cold feet. Talons, ummm, I think she's just a little nervous. Lily's been so busy with Granny and the food for the reception and I think other than Regina she doesn't really have anyone she can talk to. Maleficent, I mean." Staring past him for a moment, she drags her thoughts back. It's like her superpower is acting up but Maleficent's not lying to her. There's just something...

"I think she might need a friend today. Maybe two." She nudges his shoulder, toying with his fingers.

He raises his eyebrows and nods. Killian never thinks of himself as being a good influence, but she knows how gentle he can be. "All right, tea it is and if there's anything I can do to help, I'm around."

"She's not going to eat me."

Killian shrugs. "I suppose we did both best her before, in a manner of speaking."

"Hey!"

"I'm going to make tea," he reminds her, disappearing downstairs.

Shaking her head, Emma returns to the bedroom. Sitting on the floor next to the extravagant train of her dress, Maleficent glances up at her, the little mirror in her lap. "My hair's beautiful."

"I'm not done," Emma protests. It's hardly anything professional. Maleficent probably could have done far better with magic.

""It's still beautiful. Your iron made a noise, and the light turned green."

"Then we're ready." She lowers her hands to help Maleficent up. "Something nice about the floor?"

Maleficent allows Emma to take a little of her weight, and though her hands are still warm, they're damp with sweat. Nerves, and yet...something still nags at Emma, like she's missing something.

"Looking at my own reflection was strange."

"Right, not a lot of mirrors in your world?"

"That, yes, I suppose that's true." Maleficent sets down and watches Emma in the mirror instead of looking at her own reflection. Emma starts curling her hair, pleased by how well it works. It is easier to curl someone else's hair and she'd nearly forgotten because she's not really the kind of person who makes friends and does their hair.

"You do this well."

"Thanks, I had a bunch of weird jobs, and it lets you get close to people." Emma releases a fat curl of hair and pats Maleficent's shoulder. "Not that I-"

That joke is lost. Maleficent merely tilts her head to the side. The lizard look, Lily calls it.

"I'm not getting close to you to turn you in for a bounty. That was my old job."

"Why are you getting close to me?"

The curling iron clicks in the silence.

"What?"

Maleficent holds perfectly still, her bright blue eyes following Emma in the mirror until they meet each other. "You could have told Lily I wasn't dressed yet and let her come help me, or Zelena."

"She'd burn you with the curling iron." Emma's only half-joking. Zelena's been slightly less than openly hostile to gaining a sister-in-law, which is something. Of course, little Robyn loves her almost aunt, but she'd not be much use in getting Maleficent dressed.

"No, we've been getting along." Maleficent insists that so earnestly that Emma laughs.

"Tough one?"

"Regina's the only person in Zelena's life that she trusts, so it's difficult to share."

Emma rests her hand on Maleficent's shoulder, waiting for the curling iron to finish. "But the kid loves you. I've seen her with you."

"Babies are easy. She just likes to watch magic."

"Babies are sometimes how you get mom to approve."

Two more curls and Emma's got it. She just needs to spray it, fluff them a little so they don't look too crisp.

"Regina says we'll get there. Zelena's slow to trust, but she's family."

Grabbing the hairspray, Emma starts to set the braid. Maleficent jumps. "Sorry."

"What is that?"

"Hairspray, is it cold?"

"I'm as unsettled as a goblin. I'm sorry." Mal shuts her eyes, letting Emma finish spraying her hair into place.

"Are they particularly jumpy?"

"What?"

"Goblins."

"Terrible creatures," Killian interrupts, arriving with tea and milk on a tray (not sugar, terrible stuff for tea, apparently). "Greedy, grumpy little beasts who just won't hold still. Even when you promise you're not going to kill them."

Maleficent smiles at him, nodding. "That's quite right."

"Cup of tea?" He sets the tray on the dresser, pouring a cup with milk, and holds it out until Maleficent takes it. When her hands tremble, he steadies them with his hand. "It's all right."

Maleficent stares at the tea and Emma leans on the vanity. "We were nervous when we got married."

"Well, until the crisis arrived, of course."

"I suspected the crisis," he insists, passing Emma a cup of tea.

"Sure you did."

"Not that particular one, but a crisis, nonetheless."

Their guest takes a sip of tea and manages a more convincing smile. "Hopefully we'll avoid that."

Emma chuckles and raises her eyebrows. "Regina's cast enough protection spells that I don't think anything can move magically without her knowing about it."

That's not what Maleficent's nervous about. Some kind of goblin attack would be easier for her to deal with. Turn into a dragon, destroy the threat, not have to worry about being the center of attention, her past or Regina's.

"You know what I thought about, when I was unsteady before our wedding?"

Maleficent shakes her head. "Is it calming?"

Emma has to smile at him. She leans closer, resting her chin on his shoulder.

"When i got up there, I'd be with to Emma, and her with me. You'll have Regina, and that's all that matters. She's your safe harbour."

Watching them both, Maleficent drinks more of her tea, her hands starting to steady. There's a little more colour in her face, but she's still pale and it's not just the lack of magical makeup. "That's a lovely sentiment."

"Or your cave, pile of jewels." His eyes flash, full of mirth. "Whatever soothes you."

Shaking her head, Maleficent sets down her tea and rests her hand on her stomach. Emma can't help being reminded of Regina, and how she holds herself when she's afraid. It's a similar stiffness, but Maleficent's hand is lower.

She could stay here, wrapped around Killian, talking about nothing, but she has to get dressed, has to get Maleficent into her dress, and that means makeup and her own hair and Emma's quick but not magic quick.

"I have to get myself ready, which means a shower. If I left you with my makeup and a certain helpful pirate-"

Killian chuckles before she can finish, and gives Maleficent a little bow. "I'm very good at rimming the eyes with kohl, and I've learned enough of Emma's tricks to be an able assistant."

A warm hand squeezes Emma's arm. "That would be fine, thank you both."

Emma blinks at her. She almost expected some refusal, but maybe Maleficent just needs someone else to lead this, and killian and Lily get along well enough, That probably moves him up in her esteem. "I'll be quick."

She grabs her towel and her robe, choosing her underwear and the right bra to go underneath her dress before she ducks into the bathroom. Under the hot spray of the shower, she wonders about Maleficent's nerves. Is it just having Regina at last or is the prospect of an eternal commitment more terrifying when one lives forever? She should really ask about that and find out how long Maleficent and Lily expect to live. Working the shampoo out of her hair, Emma lets her thoughts wander until they land not quite where she expected.

She knew they were trying. Regina mentioned it, shyly, with the kind of smile that made Emma want to hug her tight. So that, Emma decides, drying her hair, explains more of the fluctuating magic and the wandering thoughts that just jitters.

Drying herself off, she picks up her phone with damp fingers and sends off a text to Regina. Just to let her know that they're with Maleficent and they'll get her to the park on time. Emma's half-dressed, hair up in a towel, when Regina replies with her gratitude.

She's too effusive for Regina on a normal day. Too protective. Emma smiles at herself in the steamy mirror, getting all of that joy out of her face before she's back in the bedroom. She's not close enough to even bring it up with Maleficent, but she's thrilled for them. Henry's going to be such a cute big brother.

Dressed and ready to start blow drying her hair, Emma returns to the bedroom as Killian's putting the finishing touches on Maleficent's eyeliner. They've chosen a blush, a deep red lipstick, and with her eyes closed, Maleficent seems content and at ease with him.

"Told you he was good."

"Though I'm afraid any hand would be steadier than my own, but Killian's is appreciated."

Emma flicks on the hair dryer, ending the conversation while it whirs away. Between the two of them, Killian and Maleficent have found the sweet spot between too made up and not dynamic enough for an outdoor wedding in bright sunlight for all of those pictures. Pride makes her chest warm and she kisses his cheek while they study Maleficent's face in the mirror.

Emma winks. "You only look a little bit like a pirate."

"Killian was just telling me his other experience was in brothels, so between the two options..." Maleficent teases back. She's calmed enough to tease them both.

"Some of them were very expensive, high class brothels."

That earns a laugh and Emma tilts her head, listening to them joke back and forth.

"They can be beautiful places."

"So you've been?" He raises his eyebrows and they laugh together.

Emma's phone chirps and she really has to get dressed or they're all be late. Grabbing her phone, she reads Regina's gentle concern and shoots back a reply. Getting ready is a lot slower without magic, but Maleficent's fine. She's smiling easily now, discussing 'biscuits' with Killian. Maybe she just needed to be safe, to be with people who weren't afraid of the dragon lady.

Taking her dress into the spare room, Emma pulls it on and throws a quick braid into her own hair. She keeps having to stop, because Regina and Henry have questions and Henry loves snapchatting with his mom using ridiculous filters and them in suits with bunny ears is pretty funny.

Regina's smile glows through the damn phone. She's so happy, finally. Emma finishes her braid with a ribbon and slips her earrings on while Maleficent changes into her chemise and slip and returns, ready to be laced into her dress. With Killian's help, they guide it up over her hips when she steps into it. Without magic, there's no way she would have ever got it on without help, so it's right that she's here.

Killian starts tightening the corset with a practiced hand and Emma stops him with a hand on his arm. "Give her room to breathe. Wedding days are long days."

She's so busy helping Killian with the tiny hooks and getting the corset stays perfectly in place that Emma nearly misses the way Maleficent's eyes follow her in the mirror. Then she feels it, turns into Maleficent's unblinking gaze and they stare at each other in the glass.

"Thank you," Maleficent says, and the words hang heavy, full of feeling.

"Yeah!" Emma says too quickly. "Yeah, of course. Tons of people helped me get ready, you shouldn't have to do it alone." Satin whispers and Killian nudges her. They share a look and whispered "later" behind Maleficent's head as they fluff out the train and arrange the flowing fabric.

"The necklace is in the wooden case," Maleficent says, looking over her shoulder at the bed.

"Got it." Killian hands it to Emma and she inhales in surprise.

"It's heavy." Really heavy, because it's stones set in silver that shouldn't be real, but they are, because she lives in a fairy tale town with dragons and royalty of course that means rubies as big as her thumbnail.

"When it's light they're stinting you on the silver." Maleficent sits like a statue as Emma clasps the heavy necklace around her neck.

Killian whistles, low in his throat. "Is that Regina's or yours?"

"Mine now." Maleficent pats the jewels and that glint is the predator. That smile is the dragon. "In the old world, my world, there's a grand tradition of a quest for unobtainable jewels."

"A dragon courting ritual?" Killian's grin flashes bright.

"It's tradition. I didn't expect Regina to know about it-"

Emma chuckles, handing Maleficent her earrings. "But she did, because she's never met a book she didn't want to pour over."

"I believe the term in this world is 'nerd'." Killian adds, taking his suit from the closet.

"She discovered the custom in an old book and presented me with these when she proposed."

Emma touches her own engagement ring and winks at Killian. "So I should have held out for something better?"

He laughs and tosses a tie at her. "I would have sailed the seven seas to bring you what you asked for, luckily for me, you were content with that humble trinket."

"I love this humble trinket, and you," Emma reminds him, shaking her head. "Go get dressed, we're almost late."

He mock bows to her and disappears into the spare room with his tux.

"I've chased you out of your room." Maleficent's hand rests on her necklace, as if it carries Regina with it, wrapped in silver and rubies.

"No, no." Emma crouches down by her, taking her hands. "You're fine. We've got more than enough rooms."

"You know that's not-" she stops and shuts her eyes. When they open again, her eyes are wet, and thank god Killian used the waterproof stuff. It's going to be a long day for that mascara too.

"You're welcome, for all of it. All right?" Emma squeezes her hands again. "I know what it's like. You're all alone, and then all of a sudden you have all this family and it's so overwhelming. You love them, and they love you but you don't know how you fit, or what you're supposed to do, but you love them, and you start to get comfortable, and then, all of a sudden you can't imagine not having Lily and Henry, Regina, even Zelena, they're your family now."

Maleficent stares at her, tears rolling down her face. "And you it seems," she adds, leaning down and kissing Emma's cheek gently. "Thank you."

"It's been fun, actually." Emma hands her a tissue, then another.

"Oh?"

Emma cleans up Maleficent's tears, "You and Killian getting all nostalgic for fairy tale land is pretty funny. He doesn't have many people he can talk to who have seen the places he has. It's nice."

"It's been better than nice." Standing up slowly, Maleficent rests her hand on the chair and takes a last look at herself in the mirror before she nods, ready. "You saved me."

"Hey, that's kind of my job." Trying not to blush too much, Emma looks at the floor. "So, you ready to get married, start the rest of your life together with Regina, all that fun stuff?"

"Yes, Emma, I am." Maleficent touches her shoulder, then squeezes it. "And I look wonderful."

"You do, don't you?" The dress and the jewels could have been pulled out of a fairytale, and Maleficent is gorgeous in a way that reminds Emma how ot quite human she is, and yeah, she looks pretty amazing. Laughing, Emma puts a hand on Maleficent's lower back. "Let's do this before something attacks the town and ruins your wedding."


	2. radiant - the reception

Mal kisses her cheek, staying close enough to nuzzle her forehead before Henry drags her away to dance. He spent weeks learning to waltz properly and he's not going to miss it. Luckily, Mal's still taller than him, even if she's not. When did he get so tall? He looks so grown up in his tuxedo. Regina shakes her head and watches them walk out to the floor. Mal's dress spins out, all red and gorgeous. Like her hair, like her- Regina's not sure she's ever looked that beautiful.

Happy.

Radiant. She smiles into her champagne. It's too early for that. They're barely in the sixth week and it's a long way until they're holding their baby. She can't chase the happy flash of thought about a baby who has Mal's eyes. Henry teaching his baby sister to smile. It's almost too much and she turns to look at the trees, sparing the crowd from her attempt not to giggle.

"You seem happy." Emma wraps an arm around her shoulders and hands her another flute of champagne. "Here."

"Emma!" She's already hugged her more times than she can count, but it's right. It's a day for not worrying. "Her hair is so lovely."

"I think it's a little crooked on the left."

Regina rolls her eyes. "No, no, it's perfect. Mal was so grateful. She was so insistent she didn't need me-"

"She was fine," Emma promises. Her eyes glint, and Regina knows that look. "Jittery as a goblin, I think, but that's fine. I was nervous when I got married."

"I was full of murderous rage last time."

Tilting her head, Emma clinks her glass against hers. "Well, this is definitely better."

She shouldn't giggle, she should- but she's lost. Regina giggles into her hand, and the champagne bubbles between them until she takes the time to sip it properly. "Thank you, Emma."

"Of course! She's really sweet, definitely the gentlest dragon I've ever met."

"You've only met two.'

"Well, Lily would agree that she's snappier."

"Lily's far too hard on herself."

"Says the mother who does the same thing."

"I do not!"

Emma shakes her head. "Oh no, who was just feeling awful about not getting her wife ready for the wedding?"

"I didn't-" she did, she really did. "I mean, I didn't say I felt awful."

Emma's arm wraps around her shoulders, tight. "But you did."

"Oh Emma, I felt terrible. She thought it was important, human tradition, and she wanted me to have the time with Henry, but I didn't know her magic was off and-" she's babbling. Rambling, dammit.

Emma squeezes her. "We had a nice morning. Killian did her makeup."

"The pirate does know eyeliner." On the dancefloor, Henry changes partners with David, and then he's with Snow and should she- is Mal all right with them? Regina's half a step away from cutting in and sparing Maleficent from David, but they're both smiling. Really smiling. Mal's all right.

"Hey, they're making peace. My parents feel awful."

"I know, I know, I-"

"It's harder today, isn't it?"

"This week. Last week."

Emma's smile grows until it's so bright it competes with the candles on the tables.

"The last couple weeks?"

Regina shuts her eyes. She's done it. She should have known. Emma spent the morning with Mal, of course she guessed. Mal's magic's off. Maybe Emma gave her coffee.

Fuck.

Not that it's bad if Emma knows. Emma is- well, Emma- and that's fine. It's fine. It's good.

Emma waits, expectant. That's a funny word for it. Oh my- She almost speaks, but there's more champagne and everyone's laughing.

On the dance floor, Henry and David nod to each other and spin Snow and Mal out in matching twirls. They must have practiced, and Mal's laughing, smiling at Henry. She's safe. She's comfortable.

It's all right.

Everything's all right. Regina's heart pounds in her ears and fuck she's blushing.

"Regina?"

She mutters it into her champagne flute before she drains it again. "She's pregnant."

"That's wonderful!"

"We started trying and I honestly thought it would take a lot longer because we started before the wedding but-"

'Sometimes things just happen."

"Quickly."

"You're happy?"

"Ecstatic, Emma, truly." She holds up her flute and they clink again. Emma's smile softens and Regina hugs her again, too excited to just look at her. "So far she's just a little sleepy, strange sometimes."

"Off? Like she's not quite herself."

"Yes, but-"

The song changes, and partners swap, and now Mal's with Henry, then Archie, and Regina's chest is warm like dragonfire. Emma's right about happy beginnings. This isn't their ending, it's their start.

Start three, or four, but it doesn't matter. The dragon in a red dress is hers. Her partner, her love, her mate for the rest of her life. Maybe this time. This time they got further than I love you, than I want to be with you.

Emma's face shifts to concern and then fuck, she's crying. When did that start?

'Here." Emma hands her a napkin. "It's a lot."

"At least your pirate used waterproof mascara. Mal cried three times during the ceremony."

"Only three?"

"That is my wife you're making fun of."

Her wife dances with Emma's pirate husband, and then he picks her up. Of course he knows the old dances, the volta and Mal's fine. She dances very well on her human feet and Killian-

"Your pregnant wife."

Regina elbows Emma much harder than she means too and Emma's eyebrows fly up.

"Ow."

"You're fine."

"Sure, your madame majesty mayorness." Emma pats her shoulder. "I'm happy for you."

"Thank you."

"And she's-?"

"Thrilled, terrified. A wreck, like she promised."

"That's sweet."

"It's not."

"It is, it so is. Regina, you two are adorable."

Setting down her champagne, Regina pulls herself up to her full height, her hands on her hips. "I'll have you know, I'm the evil queen and she was once known as the mistress of all evil. We're the furthest from adorable-" yet she cracks. She laughs and so does Emma, and dammit.

Mal waves at her from the dance floor, Zelena kisses her cheek and cuts in with baby Robyn and little strands of hair fall free of the braid Emma worried was crooked.

Mal's beautiful.

Radiant.

Happy.

Hers.

It's a stupid thing to be this happy. This is the town she hated, the one full of lives she tried to ruin. Snow White dances with her son, and her sister dances with David and it's all so ridiculous. Henry has baby Robyn and she doesn't want to let go of Mal and Belle has to rescue them both.

Rumple offers his hand to Mal. who curtsies elegantly before they start to waltz. When did so many songs from the old world end up on the jukebox? Are these from here? Her head's gone fuzzy and bright and she doesn't care.

"Come on," Emma says, dragging her towards the dance floor. "Dance with your wife."

"She's fine."

"Then dance with me until she's done, then steal her away, you get to do that. You're married now."

Emma tilts her head towards Mal and Rumple, and then Mal's in her arms. Her cheeks glow pink, and more of her hair falls free. She's so beautiful like this.

Always.

"I love you." Mal squeezes her arms.

"I heard that was the case."

Mal kisses her softly and giggles when they part. "I'm not supposed to have champagne, dear."

"A little bit won't hurt."

"Why does that apply to you drinking it and not me?"

"Do you want to stop kissing?"

Mal shakes her head, blushing brighter pink. "Never."

"Then put up with the hypocrisy and kiss me." Regina loses herself in the warmth of her, kissing her until the room erupts in applause. She should flush, apologize, make them stop...but none of it matters.

"I love you."


	3. horizon - family sailing trip

"You know, if it'll help, you don't even have to get up or get dressed. I can poof you straight to the cabin on the boat." Regina rests her hands on her hips, then crouches down next to the bed. "Or we can cancel."

Dragging herself up from the too-welcoming pillows, Maleficent shakes her head before wincing. She needs to remember not to do that until afternoon. Just don't move her head, for another month or so. It'll be fine. Regina's sweet face softens in sympathy. "I'll get dressed."

Regina stands again, kissing her forehead. "It might help. Fresh air. The deck swaying beneath you." She frowns, all concern this morning. "Are you sure you don't want to cancel?"

"Henry's boat trip. Never." She pulls her knees up, hugging them to her chest. "I'm fine."

"Fine isn't allowed to include nauseated when it's me."

Chuckling, Mal shakes out her hair. Showering isn't going to happen this morning and it doesn't matter, the sea air will make a mess of her hair and no one really pays that much attention to how she dresses. "The rules are different for you and the reasons you get nauseated are never good."

"I don't want to take you on Hook's ship just to have you throw up over the side."

Removing her pyjamas and eyeing the closet, Mal turns to smirk at her, naked. "It's less messy than the car."

Regina crosses her arms over her chest. "We pulled over."

Turning back to the closet, Mal picks out her bra and a camisole, trying to decide what sweater is best for a day on a ship. While she has her back to Regina, she embraces her, soft and warm. She lays her head on Mal's shoulder, resting her hands on Mal's belly. "I'm sorry it's like this."

Mal purrs, wrapping her hands around Regina's arms. This isn't getting dressed, but it's wonderful. "I'm not."

"You could have fooled me yesterday." Regina kisses her shoulder blade, then rubs her hand in a slow circle over the baby. Their little spark. "We won't drive until your stomach settles."

Turning into Regina, Mal holds her close, then kisses her forehead. "That seems like overkill."

"You've only thrown up when we were driving."

"Could be coincidence."

Regina kisses her once more. "Perhaps."

Rolling her eyes, Mal waves her away. "If I'm going on the sea, I need to get dressed."

"So I should stop distracting you?" That playful look would be very distracting if they had time.

"If you want me ready on time, yes, yes you should."

A well-thrown pair of socks hits her in the shoulder while she pulls on her trousers. Regina's grin makes her eyes gleam. "I don't know how you can be nauseated and distracted at the same time."

"I'm not human." Rather than risk dizziness putting on her socks, Mal waves them on with magic and chooses the deep blue sweater.

"Of course not."

* * *

Maleficent, Regina and Henry appear in a puff of purple on the dock, rather than walking up like she expected. They're not late either, which fits more with the magic. Henry waves and runs up to the deck, grinning because he loves his sailing lessons. Emma hugs him, welcoming him on board while Killian fixes the ropes.

She really should have learned more about which rope is what, but she doesn't need to know their names to move them with magic. The _Jolly Roger's_ parts know their duties, know how to sail better than Emma does. Waving at Maleficent and Regina as they board, she catches the way Regina's hand never leaves the small of Maleficent's back.

Regina's smile shines bright, and she enthusiastically discusses the ship, and lunch, and all that Henry's learning. Maleficent stands quiet. She's usually quiet, but this has more of a sense of isolation to it. Regina hovers, never far from her side and she's pale, not even wearing lipstick.

Okay, so, morning sickness is a thing for dragons too. Do they have ginger tea? Can Emma make it appear? Killian might have something, the galley's usually obsessively stocked and Belle lived her while she was pregnant. Belle is the practical type. She passes Killian by the wheel, whispers to him and then heads down. There's ginger root in the cupboard next to the potatoes, because it keeps well, and adds flavor. She can hear him defending his choice not to add a minifridge (though he does let them bring a cooler).

Peeling the root lazily with a knife, she chops it into large flat slices. She used to buy ginger ale in the commissary, when she had the cash, which was rare. She was so young then, so alone.

Maleficent's not young, definitely not alone, and Emma shakes her head a little because she's cutting this up not just for her. Some part of her is mending the damage of her own youth. They're family now, no one's alone.

And the family's growing. The first round of the adoption paperwork came through, and her juvenile record won't bar her from adopting a child who needs a home. Killian just needs to exist on paper, have a job, because independently wealthy ex-pirate doesn't look good on a form.

Unless it was for a movie or something. She smirks at that, picturing him teaching Johnny Depp how to be a real pirate while the water heats on the stove.

"You could use magic."

Emma turns, placing the voice. Not Regina.

"Maleficent."

She leans against the doorway, hands on her hips. "If you desired, you may call me Mal. It's less of a mouthful."

"Did anyone call you Mal before?"

She tilts her head, and Henry's right, it is just like the iguanas at the zoo in New York. The same unblinking stare. Maybe being a dragon affects her eyes in this form. Maybe she doesn't have to blink. "Cruella and Ursula did. When we were friendly."

"You hung out?"

Now Mal blinks, smiling a little as she sits down on the bench next to the table to watch Emma. "You may need to define that for me."

"Spent time together, doing magic, drinking, pillaging-"

"The old world version of Netflix and chill?'

Emma snorts and grins. Mal and Ursula and Cruella... Not like that. "Ummm- not unless your relationship had a side you haven't talked about."

"Regina said it meant staying home and watching movies. If we had had movies, that would have been nice."

The ship creaks and turns and shit, Mal's paler now. Do they have a bucket? Do dragons throw up like people do?

"Netflix is nice." Keep talking, give her something to focus on because her knuckles are white where she grips the table. "Gives you all the movies and keeps playing them for a couple hours before it wants you to remind it that you care. Netflix and chill though, is uh, something else." Fuck, she's blushing. Her face burns.

"What is it?" Mal looks a little better, a bit less like she's about to throw up. So keep her talking.

"Netflix and chill is when you turn a movie on and make out instead." Emma lowers her town and turns away, blushing scarlet as she pours hot water over the ginger root. Passing the mug to Mal, she tries to shake off her embarrassment. She's an adult, she can talk about this like an adult. This is Regina's wife, Henry's step-mom, a many hundreds of years old dangerous dragon who has no idea about sucking face on the sofa while pretending to watch Jurassic Park . "Sometimes you get past the kissing and-"

"More intimate."

"Yeah."

Mal wraps her slender fingers around the mug and sniffs it before she smiles. "Ginger?"

"You looked like you needed it."

That earns a laugh, soft and gentle.

Which makes it's Emma's turn to tilt her head in confusion.

Mal toys with the handle of her mug. "Regina lies to me."

It takes her a second to get it. Regina lies about what? Then it clicks. "Of course she does. You don't look at your wife and say, 'honey, you look like hell', even when you do."

"Good thing to remember."

"Unless you do that?" Henry said they got together when Regina was so sick.

"Do what?"

"Tell her when she looks like hell."

Mal's little smile disappears behind her mug. "She's always beautiful."

The _Jolly Roger_ creaks again, swinging left- to port, dammit- and Emma shifts her weight, trying to find her sea legs. "Are you sure you're all right?"

Maybe ginger really is some kind of magic, because the look Mal gives her serene. "I'm fine."

"How?"

Mal raises her eyebrows. "Pardon?"

"We're pulling through the rough part of the bay and Killian's letting Henry steer. It makes me nauseated, but you look better." Emma shakes her head. "And it's not just tea."

She lifts her mug towards Emma. "Maybe it's very good tea."

"Thanks, but that's not it."

Mal's smile grows slowly and she glances at the sea through the window. "This is easier. More like flying. When the wind is right, you can dip down near the sea and catch it, singing over the water." For a moment, her face scrunches. Being pregnant still sucks, even if you're an ancient dragon who can think about flying over the ocean. "It's better than the car."

Emma glances down, and nods, grinning sympathetically. "I heard."

"You did?"

"Regina..."

That takes no explanation and they share the 'Regina's concerns about her car are in no way covering up how much she worries about you but we'll pretend' look.

Emma starts to say something, but Killian's voice carries from the deck.

"You two all right down there?"

"Are we?"

Mal slips from her spot on the bench and pats Emma's shoulder. "We're quite well, thank you."

Zelena's rubbing off on her. Emma touches her back while they head for the door and her hand drops, so Maleficent stops.

"What is it?"

She'll tell Regina and Henry in a moment, later, when they're all eating lunch and watching the sea. Right now she has to tell someone and they're friends now. She doesn't even have to call her Maleficent in her head anymore.

"The first part of adoption paperwork came through."

"Emma-" That smile's so bright it almost matches Emma's own.

"There's a long way to go, like Killian doesn't have a job on paper and he doesn't even exist and I have no idea how we're going to prove to the State of Maine that's he's a real person."

Mal waves her hand. "I'm sure there's a way."

"Without cursing anyone?"

"Well...maybe a little curse." Her eyes gleam in the shadows and Emma laughs. They stand facing each other in the cramped little corridor to the galley but it doesn't feel awkward.

They're family. Weird, magical family.

She stuffs her hands in her pockets. "It'll take forever."

Mal glanced down and smiles with the patient that drives Regina crazy."Good things often do."

She can't get her hopes up. All the social workers keep saying how long it'll be. "Well, little dragon will be here before we're..."

Warm brushes her cheek. Mal kissed her and it takes a moment for that to sink in. "Then little dragon will be thrilled for you, in whatever capacity she understands your joy."

Emma hugs her, tight, forgetting a about the tea and the rocking ship and-

"Thanks."

"I know how much it means to have a family." Mal's voice quivers, and shit if she cries, Emma's a goner.

And she's fuck crying, tears stinging her face as Mal's land on her neck.

"You've got a huge one now. We all do."

They hold each other, warm and tight. So her family includes a dragon now, two, two and half. Their future kid better love fairy tales, because they're going to land right in the middle of one.

They're still standing there, crying into each other's hair, when Killian chuckles. "Whenever you two are ready, Henry's found the picturesque part of the north shoreline, and Regina took out the coffee and pastries."

Mal releases her, still crying, she wrinkles her nose. "Let me guess, there's decaf."

"Aye, love." Killian hands her back her tea. "My apologies for the swill."

Emma elbows him, because that's really not helping.

He steps back easily. "I've already rescued that tea once, I doubt you want to risk spilling it." He raises his eyebrows and winks at Mal. "Everything all right."

"I told her about the adoption."

"We've passed the first hurdle," he starts, and then Emma's holding the tea and maybe it's hormones. Maybe Mal's just a hugger. They share a look over her shoulder and his face is so soft. No one divides adoption into neat parts like trimesters, but it feels like they're past something. So maybe that is worth celebrating.

They part, and she slips into his arms as they head up to the deck. They blink at the sun and Henry waves at them from the wheel. "I got us all the way here."

Regina pats his shoulder and then goes to Mal, fussing and sniffing her tea.

Emma nuzzles Killian's neck and he holds her close.

"How's the little dragon?"

"I think the fresh air helps."

"Good."

He wraps his arm around her back. "Does it make you glad we're not doing it that way?"

"Sometimes." She fidgets with his sleeve, then finally looks up to meet his eyes. "I don't know. Maybe we'll try it. I think it might be fun to do it with someone." Instead of alone in a cell. Emma's not alone now, never. She went from having no one to having almost too many people look after her. It might be nice. It might be nice not to, just keep adding kids from foster homes until their whole house is full.

She kisses him before they walk to Henry, listening to him explain where he's going and how he navigated there. Killian's beaming so it must be right and Emma has no real idea.

The grey rocks and thick green pines slip away on the port side, and Henry and the _Jolly Roger_ carry them north, away from whatever crisis the town has today. Just for a little while.

Regina catches her eye behind Henry's head and they share a look that says everything from thank you to look how wonderful he is.

And he is.

Emma hides her eyes in Killian's shoulder, just for a moment.

Family is pretty fucking cool, when she lets herself think about it. The little dragon and the little pirate will grow up with the little prince and Zelena's baby bird. They'll be happy. They'll have magic in their lives, and hope.

And family.


	4. paperwork - Mal and Killian talk

"All right," Maleficent sighs shaking her fingers out over the pile of papers. She's accustomed to writing spells with a quill, not trying to fill out tiny delicate forms. "I think that's it."

Killian sets more coffee in front of her and grins. "Now I exist?"

She closes her eyes, calling on the residual magic of the curse, winding that into her own. Dragon fire embraces the papers, wreathing them in flame, and then they pop. "That should do it."

He nudges them and looks up at her, still confused. "Do what?"

"I've created records for you. Birth records, school transcripts, dental records, a credit score...all of it is now part of the curse, and would have been earlier if the third Dark Curse hadn't been so rushed."

He winces. Right. That's a soft subject.

"I'm sorry." She reaches for the coffee and takes a sip before raising her eyebrows at him. "This isn't decaf."

"Dammit." He grabs for the coffee with his good hand and she clutches it to her chest.

"It won't hurt me."

Killian shakes his head. "I'm not supposed to give it to you. Regina was very clear."

"One cup is allowed, and this was quite a bit of paperwork."

"Creating a life." He glances down at the swell of her belly and smirks. "Two, really."

"Making you a paper life has far less side effects." Mal sorts his paperwork into a file and hands it to him. "Here you are, everything Killian Jones has been up to, for the last thirty-seven years."

"Only thirty-seven?"

She shrugs and sips her coffee again. Funny how she didn't know it existed before Storybrooke and now it's an essential part of her daily existence. Even if Regina's currently forcing her to drink decaf. Everyone knows decaf is inferior, even if Mal doesn't know why. "I liked thirty-seven. I don't think you look forty."

"Two score and a century or two is more accurate." His eyes really do twinkle when he jokes like that. Emma's right.

"The state of Maine would not think it was funny if I insisted you were several centuries old." Mal sits back in her chair, shifting to try to get more comfortable. "Now that you exist, your business does as well. Have you come up with a name?"

He pages through the file on his life, seemingly amused that magic has made some much of him. "I did well in school."

"Emma said you know some Latin, so I put it in there." Mal points at a section of his fictional report card. "Regina told me the adoption agency went through everything before she adopted Henry, and this way...you have an everything to go through."

"I took art," he says, looking up with pride.

"You own an art gallery."

"So I did well in art."

"Henry said As and Bs, maybe a C or two would be normal. I gave you the As in subjects you approve of."

"Art, and Latin."

"Aye." She mimics him and he chuckles.

"'Aye, love', get it right."

She snaps her fingers. "I knew I missed something." The baby stirs, perhaps because she had coffee, and she flutters while Killian examines the other parts of his life. Mal moves her hand to cover her and he notices. He's sharp.

"That's probably why you're supposed to drink decaf." He starts with a grin, but it softens. "Does it hurt?"

"She's too little for it to hurt. It's more of a flutter." Holding up her hand in an offer, she shifts so he can reach better. "Emma said she's like a bat. Regina keeps rolling her eyes and reminding everyone she doesn't have wings."

He shyly extends his hand, and she moves it firmly against her belly. "I seem to remember the mayor was rather enamored with her moving, even if she was trying to seem calm."

"Can't be mayor and soft." The baby kicks again, sharp enough that his eyes widen. They sit in silence for a moment, and perhaps this is the first time he's felt such a thing.

"Is softness allowed in running an art gallery?" He meets her eyes and then starts to look away, his eyes shining.

Squeezing his hand, Mal holds it tight. "I believe so. Your child will be so lucky to have you and Emma as parents. He or she will be so loved."

His gaze drops from her eyes to her belly where the baby continues to flutter against his hand through her shirt. "It means so much to her, to us both, we were so alone."

"Now you won't be. Your little one won't be." It's his fault her eyes sting, of course. Lily, Emma, even Killian, so many of them grew up in terrible situations, but here, together in this strange little town, they'll mend that.

He starts to pull his hand back, but she shakes her head. "It's all right, you can stay there as long as you want. I think she kicks more when someone's giving her an audience."

Killian chuckles. "Well, someone is a little queen, isn't she?"

"That's what I told her mother."

They sit without speaking, the birds calling outside the window while the sea laps at the pier. The baby has their attention, and like her, his thoughts wander away.

"Brightwork."

Her coffee's gone cold and she has no idea how long they've been enamoured with the little one. "Pardon?"

"I want to call the gallery Brightwork. It's a bit of a play on words-"

"That'll go well with the crowd you're meant to be attracting."

He smirks. "Hipsters from the city."

"The kind of people who would flock to a nautical art gallery with a rum bar."

"That was Henry's idea."

"He's a clever one."

They share a smile about their step-son. He's a truly wonderful young man, about to be a big brother twice over. The baby stills, running out of energy for the moment, and he removes his hand almost reverently.

"Thank you." He stands, taking her empty cup. "I'd offer you more coffee but I have no desire to tangle with the Evil Queen."

"Two cups of coffee would truly bring out her dark side."

"Aye, love."

That's how he says it.

She has a form for him. For his gallery, she nearly forgot. Mal digs it out of her briefcase and sets it in front of him. "Here, fill in the name, sign here, here and here, then the building and the liquor license are yours."

"It's a good name."

"An excellent one."

He finishes filling out the form with neat penmanship. No one from this world writes as well as those from the old world. "Does that do it?"

Maleficent nods with pride. "Killian Jones, you are now the proprietor of Brightwork, an art gallery and rum bar." A flash of magic turns the form into a license that flies to the wall to nest between two oil paintings of sailing vessels. "There."

"Much easier with magic."

Picking up her briefcase, Mal glances once more over the shop. "That it is."

"Thank you."

"You've been so helpful, both of you. With the baby, the wedding, everything. It's my-" she pauses, she can speak for Regina here, "-our pleasure."

"Goodnight, dragon."

"Goodnight, pirate."


	5. perilous seas - Emma knits

"Are you binding eldritch creatures or fishing?" he asks from the doorway.

Emma jolts, dropping her knitting. "Shit, no, sorry." Only looking up then she realizes that her purple and red yarn is all over the floor. So is the green, which rolled away after she used it to make a leaf. A lumpy leaf that barely looks like anything. She should start over, again.

Looking at the sad little excuse for a hat, she rips out the needles and starts undoing it.

"Steady there," he says, "I was just worried about the yarn on the floor."

"No, no it wasn't right." She shakes her head, still unraveling what she worked on most of the afternoon. "I'll just start over."

Killian rescues the ball of green yarn, catching it with his hook while walks to the sofa. "I thought that one was all right."

"It had a hole."

"I'm sure some fashion of baby hats are allowed to have a hole. It's not as if an infant will notice." He drops the green ball of yarn next to her on the sofa and starts rescuing the red one, winding that back up to. "Whatever you make, love, they will adore it."

"I should have just bought one." Emma rips and rips until all that's left is the little purple loop she made to start with. Now she has to cast on all over again. Sixty little stitches, that she'll have to count and get right, and it's all a mess.

"You didn't want to buy something." He drops to the sofa beside her, winding the mess of purple yarn around his hook, forming it slowly back into a ball. His hands move so quickly, so sure, because yarn is just like rope and his fingers know the way. "Which would be fine. Regina and the dragon won't mind at all. You've been so good to them."

"Having a baby is a big deal." She snuggles closer to him, counting in her head while she casts on. "Like, it should be. It should be a happy thing."

"They are happy." He kisses her cheek. "Radiantly so, and the little one's very strong. I've felt her kick."

"Part dragon."

"Aye, love." He pauses, smiling at her, the ball of purple yarn still wrapped around his hook. "What is it that troubles you?"

"She never had this," Emma says. "Thirty-one, thirty-two," she mutters to herself, not looking at him because he'll see.

"Maleficent?"

"She never got to be with Lily, at all. My parents took her away." The last part, that her parents didn't think she could be good, that they felt they had to change her.

"Which is not your fault, you weren't even born." His arm slips around her shoulders and she snuggles closer.

"But they ruined Lily's life for me, and Maleficent's, and now she gets a second change with Regina and this baby and the least I can do is make the baby a damn hat without any holes in it." Emma keeps counting, whispering numbers under her breath as if this is part of her penance for being dark enough that she had to be saved.

"All right."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," he nods to her. "How can I help?"

"More coffee?" Emma tilts her head at the empty cup on the table. "Maybe pick a movie."

He chuckles. "Or you'll subject me to Pirates of the Caribbean again?"

"I like listening to you list the inaccuracies in procedure and sailing."

"It's a right mess, even if it is a pleasant distraction." He rubs her arm. "They will love what you make. I assure you."

"Thanks." Fifty-eight, fifity-nine, sixty. That's a start. She can do this. Fifth time has to be the time it works.

"Hey." he holds up the ball of purple yarn and meets her eyes, all sincere and soft. "Little dragon baby's going to be so cute in her hat." Killian kisses her once more and then he's gone to the kitchen, leaving her with the yarn and the potential for a hat that isn't lumpy this time.

Maybe.


	6. firsts - welcome baby dragon

She's so little, bright red and squirmy. Regina's tears fall on her head, and Mal cradles her against her swollen breasts. Zelena brought them the blanket. It has tiny dragons on it, and she pats the baby's back, drying some of the gunk from her skin.

She was angry a moment ago, bleating like a little lamb, not a baby, but now she has her mothers and she's quiet while Zelena whispers how wonderful she is. The umbilical cord pulses on the bed, weird and grey and alien. Emma barely remembers this part from Henry's birth. Everything hurt and he was crying. She didn't hold him. She never clutched him tight like Maleficent does.

Mal and Regina whisper about love, and Regina kisses her forehead, over and over. Everything's slick, and even Emma's sweaty. Her hands are damp because she held Mal's shoulders so Regina could see their daughter arrive. Zelena and Nurse Ratched caught her, then everything stopped, because she's here. Right here. She fumbles at Mal's breasts, rooting around for a swollen nipple.

Regina laughs, sobs, something and then her hand grabs Emma's arm. "Look at her."

"Head's a little squashed," Zelena says, readying a very shiny pair of scissors to cut the cord and part them. All of Emma aches, but this baby's not leaving. No one's giving her up, no one's taking her. Her life will be here, with her family.

"That happens when pushing takes awhile." Nurse Ratched helps clean off the baby and cooes at her. "She looks nearly perfect." She makes something down on a form, and she and Zelena watch the cord still before they clamp it off.

Zelena touches the back of the baby's head and smirks. "I don't think she noticed, seems like she's ready to eat."

"Is she all right?" Regina's voice cracks and Emma wraps her arm around her, trying to keep her steady.

"Perfect," Ratched promises. "Color's good, lungs are strong. She's awake, alert, ready to eat."

"What do we do? Am I doing this right?" Mal looks at her breasts with absolute confusion, and between the three of them, they shift and guide until that little red mouth grabs a nipple.

Mal makes a face and then they're all laughing.

"Just needs a hat," Zelena says, looking at the pile of little blankets. "Did we bring one? Wouldn't want her to get cold."

A hat.

"Oh I–" Emma blushes and pulls the little hat out of her jeans pocket. She almost forgot. She wishes she'd forgotten, because it's an ugly, lumpy little thing because she kept screwing up the stitches and it's not even hard. It's just a hat, and she tried to get an apple on it, but it's really hard. "I made a hat."

"Emma–" Regina's voice is almost too thick to be heard. "You made a hat?"

"It's terrible."

"Emma, please." Mal somehow sounds more coherent than Regina, which seems impossible, but she reaches her hand. "Let us see."

"I'm terrible at knitting."

"No, Emma, no." Regina takes it and she clings to the little hat, wiping her tears with her hand. She smiles so bright that it hurts to look at her face. "It's beautiful. It's her first present."

"I brought the blanket." Zelena mutters and Regina touches her and Maleficent laughs.

"You did, but Emma made this."

"It's crooked, and lumpy."

"I love it." Regina slips it onto the baby's damp little head, covering her dark hair. "It fits her."

"It's too big."

Maleficent reaches for Emma and grabs her hand with a gentleness she hasn't had for the last few hours of labor. "It's wonderful. Thank you."

Shrugging, Emma looks down, then back up at their faces. "I'm sorry I didn't make a better one."

"Emma–"

"It just happened so fast."

Regina glances at the clock, and she squeezes Emma, almost hugging her. "Twenty-one hours. You could have made several hats."

"Was it?" Mal looks up from the baby, eyes wide.

"Shhh," Regina insists, leaning int to kiss her. "Everything's fine. Everything's wonderful. You were perfect, you're both perfect."

"She's getting sappy," Zelena mutters, rolling her eyes.

"She's allowed." Ratched nudges Zelena and they take the placenta over to the table, while it lies like a dead alien creature, ready to be examined or dissected.

Emma watches Regina and Mal kiss again, then stare down at the baby and her ugly little hat between them. It's dreadful. They can't possibly like it.

"Thank you, Emma." Maleficent pulls her close and both of them hug her, sweaty, sticky, still wet with tears, and the baby's in the middle.

"Her godmother should be the first one to give her a gift," Regina insists, clearing her throat. "So it's wonderful."

She can't escape. They're both staring at her. They didn't pick Zelena, Granny or Ursula, someone who knew what she was doing. They picked Emma. They want Emma to be something to this tiny new baby in an ugly hat.

"Godmother?"

"Please." Mal smiles at her with liquid blue eyes and fuck. No one should be able to ask her anything with that kind of look. "We want you to be a big part of her life. We love you."

Hormones. Totally hormones, except that Mal doesn't need to blame them. She says these things.

Regina strokes the baby's head. "It would mean a lot to both of us if you'd accept."

Staring at the baby, Emma nods, now her voice catches. "Okay. I'll practice knitting."

"Emma, we love it."


	7. very unfairy - godmother Emma

"I'm sorry about your lumpy hat. Knitting is…a lot harder than they make it look on the internet and I'm sure you'll have a bunch of better hats. Like, Granny will make you one and my mom will and hell, Henry probably knits better than I do."

Poor little baby is barely more than an hour old and her precious head is wrapped up in Emma's incredibly pathetic fifth attempt at knitting her a hat. Maybe she should have kept the fourth one, the edges were better but she thought she could do better, but then baby arrived and there wasn't time for another try.

She opens and closes her little red lips and Emma sighs. No person should be this small, this warm and snuggly. She held Neal to day he was born, but that was a rescue, all terror and portals and heroics, this is quiet. The sky's just barely grey by the window and Emma rocks slowly because she should rock, because babies like that.

Her brother does, and this little one is so much smaller. Still basically damp and fuck, what is she doing with her?

She moves her impossibly tiny fingers and Emma can barely breathe looking at her face. Regina's there, in her ears and her nose, and her hair's dark. Maleficent's in her cheeks, in the shape of her shin and of course, she'll be beautiful. She is beautiful, even slightly squashed and only half-awake.

Emma was not going to cry.

She really wasn't.

But fuck. Here she is, little dragon baby, all wrapped up and warm and the squirmy example of a second chance, third chance, as many chances as it takes.

And she'll grow up with her moms, safe and loved and so very spoiled. Even if her first hat is ugly.

Emma shifts her hand and wipes her eyes. "Dammit." Her chest aches for Henry in a very old way, but he's here in the kitchen with Zelena, making tea and some kind of very early breakfast. He's nearly grown up and not a tiny baby in a lumpy purple hat. "Don't feel like you have to keep this hat or anything. I should have brought you a little stuffed dragon like everyone else, but I like hats. They're warm and they keep your hair out of your eyes, not that you have that much yet."

Scrunching her face, baby sighs and sleepily and even that's cute. Way too cute. Maybe she does want one. Staring at little fingers wrapped around her own, Emma rocks in the quiet while the sun creeps closer to the horizon and everyone else does something and she's just there, with the baby.

They handed her the baby. Trusted her to keep her safe. Mal has to shower and Regina won't leave her. This little baby is their miracle, but she's in Emma's arms while her mothers get cleaned up. She's been fed and kissed, toes marvelled at and fingers adored. She's had almost as hard a day as her mom, but she's awake, staring up at Emma with unfocused eyes.

"Hi." She takes a breath, her heartbeat thudding in her ears. "I'm Emma, and for some reason your moms made me your godmother. Not that I'm any good at the god stuff, or because I can teach you magic. Your moms are better at magic, even my mom's better at cooking. You have the best big brother in any universe, any story, and I- well- I guess I- I'm here to help, okay? If you need extra cookies or skin your knee on the sidewalk outside Granny's and tear your dress–"

Touching baby's little cheek, Emma chuckled, picturing her older in the most adorable outfits. "You're going to have the cutest little dresses, aren't you? Your brother had had this pantsuit…" She didn't really remember it, she'd seen pictures, but her lingering memories respond with thoughts of Henry, running and laughing.

"He's really great, did I tell you? He's so intelligent, and funny. He has such a big heart, literally the truest heart, it glows, like, he's wonderful in every way. As you'll be, as you are, I'm sure."

Baby yawns and the effort it takes her tiny body makes Emma laugh. All of her arches and her little arms flail before she settles. Her eyes close, and she starts to fall asleep against Emma's chest. "You've had such a big day."

She's warm and her chest is too heavy and too light all at the same time. How can a person start out so small? How is holding someone for the first time so poignant? This little one is a stranger. Emma's only felt her kick through Mal's body, and she loves her. She wants to keep her safe, make her laugh, watch her grow and see who she is.

"You're safe," Emma whispers. "You're surrounded by so many people who love you in such a big, weird, crazy family, and we're all here, your brother, your sister, your flying monkey loving aunt. We've got you. Whatever you want to do, whoever you find yourself turning out to be. We're here and we love you, kid."

She kisses that ugly little hat, leaving tears behind. "I'm going to make you another hat though, this one is hideous. I can't believe your moms like it. They're supposed to have taste, you know?"


End file.
